New Delhi
India’s Sumit Nagal jumped 18 spots to reach 77th in the latest ATP rankings released on Monday, effectively securing a place in the men’s singles draw for the Paris Olympics.
Nagal now holds 713 ATP points, boosted by his victory at the Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event in Germany. He triumphed over Switzerland’s Alexander Ritschard in a gripping three-set final, winning 6-1, 6(5)-7, 6-3 in a match lasting two hours and 22 minutes. These latest rankings will be used to determine entries for the Olympics.
According to the qualification rules, the top 56 players in both men’s and women’s rankings automatically qualify for the Olympics, with a maximum of four players per country. This rule allows lower-ranked players a chance to enter the draw. Nagal is well-positioned to claim one of the final ranking-based spots.
The last time an Indian player appeared in the Olympics main draw was in 2012 when Somdev Devvarman qualified via a wildcard.
Nagal expressed his happiness on X after his win in Heilbronn. At 26, Nagal would be the sole Indian in the men’s singles event in Paris. This victory marks his sixth ATP Challenger title and the second this year, following his win at the Chennai Open. He is currently the highest-ranked Indian singles player and has won four ATP Challenger titles since 2023, with the Heilbronn win being his fourth title on clay courts.
